Is it too late for you to hold me?
by AbbyGibbs
Summary: Jack has a hard time dealing with George's 'betrayal', but it not the only thing his difficulties to handle with… The man who always tries to do the right thing and to behave properly might for once.
1. Stabbed in the heart

**Is it too late for you to hold me?**

 **Author:** AbbyGibbs

 **Fandom:** "Miss Fisher's murder mysteries."

 **Pairing:** Phryne/Jack

 **Rating:** T

 **Spoilers:** 2X12 "Unusual Habits"

 **Summary:** Jack has a hard time dealing with George's 'betrayal', but it not the only thing his difficulties to handle with… The man who always tries to do the right thing and to behave properly might for once.

 **Warning** : I cannot really think of one.

 **Disclaimer:** Everything belongs to Kerry Greenwood and ABC.

No copyright infringement intended.

 **A/N: I AM SO SORRY; MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE WAITED A LITTLE LONGER BEFORE, POSTING THIS FIRST CHAPTER. AFTER PULPRITER BROUGHT ONE OF MY MISTAKES IN LIGHT, WHICH I THANK HER FOR, I DID AS SHE SUGGESTED AND REREAD MY CHAPTER OUTLOUT, AND WITH IT, MADE SOME MODIFICATION IN THE ENTIRE CHAPTER I HOPE YOU DO NOT HOLD IT AGAINST ME AND THAT YOU WILL REREAD THE CHAPTER AND SEE THE MODIFICATIONS.**

 **THANKS AGAIN TO PULPRITER AND EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENTS, YOU ARE AMAZING, ALL OF YOU!**

 **In this story I will not be so mild with Rosie than I have been in my story "The best out of Me" it is not a sequel to that particular story either, but I promise I will write one. The idea came in a flash so I do not really know where this is going just yet, but I hope it will work out as good I the primer idea is playing in my head. I have no idea about a many pages this will be it could be a short story as it can become a longer one. I am not entirely sure about it yet.**

 **I hope that is story will come out as good as it is in my head. *crossing fingers***

 **I would like to thank Essie Davis, Nathan Page, as well as all the members of the cast and crew that work on the show and have made it a pure delight to watch. A big thank you to Kerry Greenwood, without her, Miss Phryne Fisher would not exist.**

 **Feedbacks:** well, I would love them, of course – who would not? Please, only if you respect my work because it takes a lot of time and energy to get a story together. I love writing; I would not allow anyone to discourage me from doing so, never. I do not have any problems at all with readers who choose not to go for this, but I decidedly do with those who write disrespectful mails just because they did not get the ending they would have wanted. If you want to tell me what I might have done better within the story I made up, you are always very welcome to let me know. But if your only concern is to rant about it, then please, do it in private, okay? Thank you.

 **However, those who like it drop a review, please!**

 **Chapter One**

 **Stabbed in the heart**

Jack was holding Rosie tightly in his arms as he waited patiently for her sobs to calm down. She had been through a rough time today. His thoughts yet were with Phryne. How was she feeling? Would she think less of him after this case? He certainly felt less of himself, because he had not seen anything, betrayed and empty, but most of all, Jack felt disappointed. If would feel the same about him, he would not blame her for it. His chivalry at times, irritated him. What else could he have done? Someone cannot his being in five minutes.

His chivalry had not done much good these last few years, had it? Everything was such a mess now. He was a divorced Detective Inspector, desperately in love with a woman, but he could not bring up his courage to do something about it because he did not want to become another on her long list of lovers.

Finally, Rosie seemed to calm down after awhile, but he felt her grip on him tightened a little bit. If only… they did not share a past together, then he maybe could have put his heart into comforting her, but instead all he could think of was, Phryne.

Miss Fisher understood him so much better than Rosie ever had. She did not try to change him. Phryne accepted him just the way he was; He wanted Phryne to comfort him. To hold him, to feel her arms around him would be enough for him. Today had been so difficult, and he felt so tired, but he was not sure, he could ask such a favor of her even if they were friends.

Jack felt Rosie move in his arms. She pulled her head back so she could look into his eyes. Why had it not worked out between them? Why had neither of them made any effort for their marriage to hold stand? Maybe she could try to seduce him again, but then again, she was not sure, suddenly that there ever was anything other than respect between them.

Phryne Fisher was always around him, like flies on a jam jar for cry's sake, she could not understand how he could stand this woman, and she had such a reputation. Her ex-husband could do so much better than have her in his frequentations…

"Why were you at her house?" She asked him, softly, but her voice had also a reprimanding note to it. It frustrated him.

There she was again, reprimanding, Rosie. Jack thought.

"George took me of the case, remember?"

"I know that, but why did you have to go at her place?"

"I did not want to give up on the investigation, and she was kind enough to offer me A place where I could keep doing police work like it's supposed to be done, Rosie." Jack told her, a little bit annoyed by her questions. He knew his ex-wife had never like Phryne, but he had the disagreeable impression that she wanted to make Miss Fisher pass for something she was definitely not.

"All she wanted to do was helping me in my quest of Justice."

"Oh right, the heroine, Lady Detective of all your stories, Jack." Rosie said in a sarcastic tone as she disentangled herself of his arms somewhat forcefully.

The Inspector did not reply at her comment; he simply glared at his ex-wife.

"Do you not see all she does is making things worse for you, Jack?"

"You must be unwell my dear, because you are repeating yourself. I think you've already said something like this earlier."

"It's because you are stubborn, and do not listen to what is good for you, Jack."

Jack was starting to boil inside; Rosie pretended to know what is good for him, while she was the one, always wanting _to make him better_ in hope to climb higher on the social ladder for her own benefit. Unfortunately, for him that particular side of Rosie Sanderson only showed itself once they were married. If he had known it sooner… he probably would not have married her in the first place.

Their union had only made the both of them unhappy in the end. The daughter of George Sanderson had been the wrong choice. Suddenly for some unknown reason he could not take it anymore.

"Says the woman who never once wondered what I really wanted while we were married."

Rosie looked scandalized, and outraged. "How can you say that, after everything I have done for you?"

"What exactly have you done for me, Miss Sanderson?" He asked her, dryly.

Rosie's temper rose as well, as she answered him. She could not believe that her ex-husband was standing in front her, pretending she had done nothing for him during their married years. Jack would not be half the man he was today if it was not for her.

"You are what you are thanks to me, Jack Robinson! You would have become even more if you would not be so stubborn." The woman's voice got louder as the words came out of her mouth.

"Oh, I see, I should have looked the other way and letting people get hurt or worse so I could become Chief Commissioner, just like your father. Is that what you mean?" Jack told, Rosie coldly, so coldly even that her blood froze into her veins.

Never before had she heard him, talking the way he did to her just now.

" _This_ Miss Fisher of yours is definitely not good for you."

"Leave her out of this and you might be right, but she does not pretend to be someone, she is not, Rosie." Jack pointed out to her.

His ex-wife looked at him sternly then. "Are you saying that I pretend to be someone I'm not?"

Gorge Sanderson's daughter could not believe her ears. Jack had never been like this before; she wondered what had happened to him. Maybe Jack was not the man she had always thought he was after all. War had already changed him. Now it was the honorable Miss Fisher though to her, there was nothing honorable about Phryne Fisher. Everything about that woman was irritable, extravagant, outrageous and scandalous.

Rosie could decidedly not see what her ex-husband saw in her.

"For the life of me, I cannot see why you are friends with a woman like her."

"That is because you do not see how she really is. You do not want to see how she really is. All you see about her is what you and most people want to see." He told her, the gaze in his eyes, softening instantly.

"What more is there to see about that woman other than the fact that she sleeps around, and behaves scandalously? Seriously Jack." She asked coming closer again.

He signed, he did not like where this conversation was going. He did not want a fight with his ex-wife; he did not want to hear her talking about Phryne the way she did right now. Each of Rosie's words about Miss Fisher felt as if she was stabbing him in his heart.

Strangely, Jack, felt he would love to the same the woman who was once his Rosie.

To be continued.

 **A/N #2: I hope this start is worth something, I for one have enjoyed writing this first chapter, I hope you have enjoyed reading this.**

 **Let me know something?**


	2. Bitter

**A/N: Thank you so much for your kindness, support and help, I feel that I am improving in my writing (sort of at least) and want to write more. Thank to you all.**

 **I had a plan for this story; I wanted to make it about two chapters, quite simple, but apparently, my head and fingers decided otherwise about it. I'm not done with Rosie in this one, some stuff needs to come out of my system about Jack's ex-wife. In addition, it won't be so simple as I intended it to be in the first place. I just hope it doesn't turn out into a disaster in the end and that you all hate the story.**

 **I guess, it's also because I need to digest some news I have received about the results of a scan I had to do of my back, earlier this week; it makes me suddenly feel really old. The scan shows some worn state and arthrosis as well, I know it could have been far worse, but it just makes me feel older than I am. It's silly I know.**

 **JustMeMusing, a big thank you, for your beta work.**

 **Chapter Two: Bitter**

Jack sat on the corner of his desk, starting at the open door of his office; Rosie hadn't bothered closing it when she'd stormed out. Her words had cut as sharp as knives. If he had not known her better, he would have thought she might be jealous of the friendly relationship he shared with Miss Fisher. Rosie had also changed, but apparently not for the better. She became a bitter person and he could not help but feel sorry for her.

Although, Rosie hadn't said so, Jack knew she held him responsible for the failure of their marriage. He had always known that, but she seemed to forget that two parts are involved in a marriage so when it fails both the partners were responsible. It seemed to him though, that his ex-wife thought she wasn't to blame one bit for what had happened. Why would he have expected her to think otherwise; she always thought she was perfect.

He got off his desk then, to go close the door of his office. Once it was done, he went to sit in his chair behind it, but he couldn't concentrate. Jack leaned slightly backwards and sighed.

His thoughts drifted towards Phryne. She had such a good heart; she was wealthy but didn't act like she was; she wore beautiful clothes and make up, but she wasn't afraid of anything; she created a family of her own. She helped where she could. Phryne had given Jane a roof over her head fed & clothed her but also provided the moral support and guidance she so desperately needed.

As much as he tried to, he could not picture Rosie doing the very same thing. She had a tendency to think to worst of people she met - definitely more so if they lived in the street; not caring at all about the reason why they ended up in the street in the first place. Miss Fisher tried to change their situation and give them a better life and he admired her greatly for it. Most of the time, Rosie would think that they deserved it.

Sure Miss Fisher's meddling had placed him in a difficult position more than once, but he knew that Phryne's intentions were good; her priority was always to serve justice, no matter who she'd offend in the process. The idea made Jack smile. How many times had he wished he could be like her?

Miss Fisher couldn't be more opposite to Rosie Sanderson and yet, he'd fallen for her. He briefly wondered if he ever would find the courage to tell her so.His heart had hardly healed from the divorce and yet it seemed ready again. Knowing fully he risked it to be broken again by Phryne Fisher didn't make a difference; Jack's heart didn't seem to be inclined to listen to his head.

Jack had never felt something so strongly for a woman before, not even for Rosie.

What could he do about it?

Phryne was sitting silently in her parlour, an unusual behavior for her. The conversation she'd had with Rosie, Sidney, Jack, and Aunt P came back to her. She had let it affect her and, she didn't like it.

 _"Oh Jack, don't you think you should pass all this information on to father." Rosie said to Jack while standing close to him._

 _"Do you think that's wise? Considering, he took Jack off the case?" Phryne queried._

 _"He didn't have a choice; the Bishop was breathing down his neck! And your constant meddling hasn't helped." Jack's ex-wife had said, exasperated._

Even if in the end, she had been right not to trust George Sanderson or Sidney, she had been meddling a little too much in Jack cases; but she only wanted to help him, nothing more. Her prime concern was serving the victim justice - no matter what the consequences were. She wasn't going to step on eggs simply because of the Bishop's discomfort about the case of two missing girls or because they wanted her to handle it carefully.

Other words Rosie had said to her came back then. _"You've really made things worse for Jack, you know."_

As she, Perfect Rosie Sanderson hadn't. If she didn't know better she would think that Jack's ex-wife still had feelings for him. Aunt Prudence was right; Rosie's devotion to Jack was unusual for an ex-wife.

It bothered her, but Rosie could be right - maybe she had made things worse for Jack. She needed a drink, she decided.

Phryne stood and went to pour herself a whiskey. As usual she wasn't thinking when she and reminisced over the last few weeks. As usual she hadn't been thinking when she had gone to the boat or the convent and once more Jack had found himself in hot water... a smile appeared on her lips then as she thought about what he had said to her when she entered his office to apologize to him.

 _"Don't be remorseful, it only confuses me." Jack had said._ She realized now, he accepted her the way she was and didn't want her to change. The realization didn't do anything to ease her unsettled feeling though, if anything he made it even worse.

Jack Robinson was such a good man with a good heart; a remarkable person, and all she did was put him in tricky situations. Phryne had suddenly the uneasy feeling that she was unworthy of his friendship. Why did she always have to be so nosey?

Curiosity kills the cat.

Phryne Fisher took a big gulp of her whiskey, and decided she needed to apologize to the Inspector once more for being too intrusive. She needed to tell him how much she appreciated his friendship, and she also that she respected him.

The only thing she needed to figure out now was where and when she would apologize to the Inspector. Tonight? Maybe she could invite him for dinner?

Phryne thought about it for a moment, but decided against it.

No, it was not a good idea. Mary and her baby lived temporarily in the house. Dot, Mr. Butler and everyone else would help her out, but she simply didn't want to risk being disturbed while talking to him. Some people might find it a rude or selfish attitude, but really, she didn't care.

Phryne worried about Jack. The man he'd trusted the most in the world - the man he thought to be the most upright; his mentor, had betrayed him. Not only had George betrayed Jack, he also had destroyed everything he believed in. When they had interrogated George Sanderson about the events and what he had done, she saw the sadness in Jack's eyes, and it broke her heart. To make matters even worse, Sanderson had the audacity to deny everything at first, practically laughing in their faces until she mentioned her aunt Prudence Stanley - then it finally took the arrogance from the man's features. She'd wanted to stay with Jack to talk to him after they had arrested George and Sidney, but Rosie had been there, crying her heart out to her ex-husband who, always the gentleman, had soothed her. Her only option had been to leave and return home. Now however… she could take him somewhere, maybe. That would be an idea. Then suddenly, Phryne's face lit up. She knew exactly where to take him; she just hoped he would accept her invitation. Phryne went to the kitchen where she found Mr. Butler and she asked him to prepare her a basket for two.

Tobias Butler looked at her for a moment and smiled. "I'll put in some extra food, I'm sure Inspector Robinson won't mind, he's been through a lot this last week, hasn't he Miss?"

Miss Fisher nodded her head. "Yes, he has Mr. B."

"Forgive me for asking Miss, but does he have someone to take care of him?" She heard him ask, concern for the Inspector evident in his voice.

"I don't know Mr. Butler, I don't know."

"Forgive me Miss, but I'm fairly certain his ex-wife won't do the trick. She doesn't seem to be the kind of woman able to take care of anyone but herself." He said then.

Tobias Butler was fond of the Inspector, he thought he was a good police officer as well as good human being, but he disliked Rosie Sanderson very much. He had great difficulties imagining those two were once married; she appeared to be so cold, and embittered, everyone had his share of difficulties in life, but it didn't mean one had to become so resentful, cynical and self-centered as she had.

"Mr. Butler, I'm utterly scandalized!" Phryne said, feigning to be indignant at his comment but couldn't help the smile that painted itself on her lips. "I don't like her either; Jack deserves so much better… I actually always wondered what Jack ever saw in her." She mused.

"If you don't mind me saying Miss, she had no right saying you make things worse for the Inspector. He is like yourself, Miss Fisher; the both of you are driven by the same need to bring justice for the poor victims of odious crimes. I think that if you were so bad for the Inspector Robinson as his ex-wife, Rosie Sanderson's pretending you are, don't you think he would have long ago, told you that your help is no more welcome in his investigations? The man is old and wise enough to know what is good for him, Miss Fisher."

"Thank you Mr. B." She said, placing a kiss on his cheek. The butler smiled has he watched her run upstairs.

"The basket will be ready when you are."

"You are the best, Tobias Butler." she answered him, as she headed for the bathroom. She wanted to take a hot bath, but she didn't want to waste another minute. She found herself something to wear and ran back downstairs.

As he had promised, the basket was ready when she was about to head out the door.

Phryne and Jack were at the seaside. Not exactly, the ideal place for a picnic, but the air would do them good. It was clear to Phryne that Jack needed to clear his mind and where better to do so than surrounded by the invigorating seaside air?

Eating their picnic had proven to be a funny adventure as they had decided to eat it in Phryne's Hispano-Suiza.

They ate in comfortable silence for a moment, simply enjoying one another's company. Jack broke the silence first:

"I'm sorry, about Rosie's behavior," Jack started to say, but Phryne instantly stopped him by placing her gloved index finger on his lips.

"Don't be, Jack, she's right, I shouldn't meddle so much… I'm sorry, but I can't help being curious and wanting justice to be served."

Jack Robinson looked at her when he kissed her finger through the white fabric before taking hold of her hand and removing it from his lips. "You do, indeed, meddle too much in my cases, Miss Fisher, which often results in me being in hot water, but I wouldn't have it any other way because thanks to your intrusions and sneaking around we are able to solve crimes twice as fast. Never be sorry for whom you are, Miss Fisher…" He told her tenderly.

Phryne's eyes softened when a wave of unknown emotions washed over her and her heart missed a beat in her chest. It wasn't the first time she felt like this around him, but she hadn't really noticed it until now, she chose to ignore it just for a little longer. There would be time for it, later.

"Thank you, Jack. Would you mind me asking you something personal?" Phryne looked at him hesitantly. "Has Rosie always been this way?"

The Inspector's expression saddened instantly. "No, she wasn't. She was quite the opposite in fact. She was a little bit like you, actually." Jack told her with a smile on his lips that failed to reach his eyes.

Miss Fisher made a face in disbelief. Rosie Sanderson, had once been like her? The idea seemed simply impossible. No, it couldn't be true. If she had ever been like her, what had happened to her that made her change like that?

The sadness in Inspector Robinson's eyes intensified and Phryne regretted asking her question. She was doing it again, her curiosity was the strongest once again and now it made Jack feel sad.

"I wanted children, but she didn't. All she was interested in, once we were married was becoming someone. She wanted me to climb higher on the social ranking ladder so she could be someone in higher society. I was happy where I was and with who I was, I wanted to be a part of something, make a change. I couldn't see myself sitting behind a desk all day long."

"Jack, I'm so sorry." Phryne said reaching out, to caress his cheek with her fingertips.

At her touch, he closed his eyes, relishing the sensation. It felt so good and it had been so long.

"Don't be, Miss Fisher, you can't be held responsible for someone else's choices." he whispered. Jack wished he could tell her about how lonely his life was since his divorce — actually; his life had been lonely long before his divorce. He realized sadly.

"Shall we go for a walk?" she asked him then.

Jack opened his eyes slowly looking at her and nodded his head. "I would like that very much. But what about your car, aren't you afraid someone might steal it?"

"Why should I be afraid about someone stealing my car? I'm accompanied by Melbourne's finest Inspector." He couldn't help but chuckle at her words.

"And I'm privileged to be accompanied by the best Lady Detective in all of Australia."

"Flatterer" she smiled while she stepped from behind the wheel.

"I'm only speaking the truth, Miss Fisher." Jack replied, as he exited his side of the car.

They closed the car doors simultaneously when he realized they hadn't put everything back in the picnic basket.

"We should put everything back first."

"It's alright Inspector, we'll do it when we'll be back, besides, we've eaten everything, well, you ate _almost_ everything. There is nothing to steal anymore except for my car and the basket."

He frowned, and tried but failed to hide a smile when he replied, "If you say so, Miss Fisher."

"I do indeed say so, Inspector." She smiled warmly at him and extended her hand to him. He looked a bit surprised and hesitant at first, but took her hand anyway.

They walk hand in hand slowly putting some distance between them and the car, the end of their coats floating behind them in the sea breeze. As they held hands, Jack tried to forget everything that had happened this last week and he hoped that someday, he would manage to put everything behind him.

Rosie Sanderson wasn't the woman who had once been his, anymore. She was a woman love had deserted which made her bitter and resentful. Oscar Wilde had been right when he said, "Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead." Jack thought.

Maybe it was time to try to close the book about that particular part of his life and finally open a new one, and start to write his future; hopefully he would be able to share it with the woman he was holding hands with.

TBC…

 **A/N #2 So what did you all think of this second chapter?**


End file.
